Kalamazoo Valley Community CollegeTEXAS TOWNSHIP, MI – The part-time faculty members at Kalamazoo Valley Community College have officially formed their own collective bargaining unit with the American Federation of Teachers Michigan.
The Michigan Employment Relations Commission (MERC) counted the ballot votes on Thursday, resulting in a 162-38 vote by part-timers to be represented by the KVCC Federation of Teachers.
"The term ‘part-time’ or ‘non-tenure-track’ does not denote ‘inferior,’” said Dr. Catherine Barnard, a part-time psychology instructor of 15 years. “Years of service and dedication to our students should be rewarded. We have earned the right to fair compensation, academic freedom, and timely semester appointments. Our level of education, professionalism, and commitment to our students is equivalent to that of the full-time tenured faculty."
More than half of the for-credit classes taught at KVCC in 2010-11 were taught by part-time instructors, according to KVCC Director of Planning, Research and Assessment Stephen A. Cannell.
Part-time faculty members made up a majority of the KVCC faculty as of the end of 2011, with more than 300 of the college's 500-some faculty members working part-time.
Part-timers can teach up to three classes and are limited to 10 credit hours, according to Kelly O'Leary, a part-time English and French instructor. A group of 11 part-time staff members began organizing the union after receiving a late paycheck last September, she said.
The union published a statement on Thursday stating that members hope to achieve better job security, salary increases, health insurance, and clear policies governing evaluations, grievances and absences.
President Marilyn Schlack and Vice President for Human Resources Sandy Bohnet have said the college supports the part-time faculty's right to form a bargaining unit.
The union will have to create an organization
structure, a constitution and elect officers before it can begin
negotiating salaries and employment issues with KVCC administration.
AFT Michigan Organizer Jon Curtiss said the union will share an office with Western Michigan University's Professional
Instructors (PIO), which was formed in 2009 and is also affiliated with the AFT.
Eastern Michigan University, the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Wayne State University, Central Michigan University, Ferris State University, and Henry Ford Community College also have formed AFT Michigan non-tenure track faculty unions.
“I am excited that union representation through the AFT will help us to work together to gain an ethical and secure working environment that will benefit the students and staff as well as the college,” said Laurie Nic, a math instructor.
Contact Ursula Zerilli at uzerilli@mlive.com or 269-254-5295. Follow her on twitter.